The Health-Boosting Workout Combo

Switching up your weekly workouts doesn't just lead to a better physique—it also protects against disease. Lifting weights and engaging in aerobic activity for a total of 300 minutes a week total (that's an hour of exercise five days per week) can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by 59 percent, according to a new study from Harvard University.

Researchers observed more than 32,000 men from 1990 to 2008. Every two years, participants reported their physical activity, which ranged from running and biking to tennis, swimming, and stair climbing. At the end of the study period, those who had engaged in both weight training and aerobic exercise had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to men who did only one type of exercise.

So for the best type 2 diabetes blocker, mix it up in the gym—or at home. Try the cutting-edge fitness system that blends both. Speed Shred, the brand-new workout series from Men's Health, is based entirely on the new science of "metabolic resistance training." Every workout—there are 18 in all—is a strategic fusion of high-intensity intervals and strength training. This combination creates a potent fat-burning formula that will get you leaner and fitter faster than you ever thought possible—and you'll slash your diabetes risk to pieces. Check it out today!

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